Banks Sandra K, MD

I’ve been a patient of Dr. Banks for over 5 years. I have tolerated her lack of bedside manner because I appreciate her holistic knowledge combined with western medicine. The nurses and staff at this practice are HORRIBLE though. Very unprofessional, rude, gossiping and complaining while with patients and unresponsive to phone calls. Recently, I called to ask Dr. Banks for a RX. No response for 2 weeks so I called her nurse who told me «Dr Banks said this is on her list and she will get to it eventually.» A month later and still no response. Needless to say, I’m switching practices. We pay enough for healthcare to get a doctor who gives a damn about his/​her patients.

Dr Banks is by far the BEST Dr I have been to — she is an excellent diagnostician, is the only doctor who treats you holistically, is smart, caring, competent —
wish I had found her sooner — am moving my entire family to her practice — a true GEM

I see Dr. Banks only had one review so i thought i would add another.(thanks Vanessa)
I have been with Dr. Banks for 3 years. I have some medical issues and Dr. Banks has always listened to my concerns. She has never rushed me through a visit ever and spends more than adequate time with me so i am happy for that. She is always thorough with the tests that i need run and has recommendations for me. I do get a call back with results promptly. She has never given me a pap with my annual appointment and I didn’t think she did those but per Vanessa she does so i am surprised about that. She only asks when i had my last one and gave me a referral to a new gynecologist on my first visit with her. Dr. Banks also appears to remember me when i come in. She remembers my history and even some personal things we once discussed so i am happy that she retains that makes for a better visit. She is very professional though so don’t expect tea and crumpets.
I have never had to wait more than 10 minutes to get in to my appointment, n fact last time i went i sat down for about 3 minutes and was called back
CONS:
The office staff is horrible. I am soo surprised that a bunch of intelligent Dr.‘s would allow an office to be run the way it is. The nurses that i encounter do not have a good attitude with the patients. They are very monotone when speaking with you. Very quick and short and tend to complain about things like not having supplies available. I have yet to get a call back the same day with a concern i have. it’s usually 24 – 48 hours later and i have to call Rose back and remind her i called and to please call me back.
Checking out is difficult as well. The woman is rude and never has a smile on her face. She barely makes eye contact with you and is rude when you ask her questions. I have been in the office a bit and that is my same experience with all the people there. Adrienne the referral woman is not helpful either. I ask her questions about the test and how i make the appointment and she snaps the orders at me like i am suppose to know what the tests are and exactly how to say them and i should know exactly where i am going. The staff fails to understand that just because they know, doesn’t mean us civilians do.
I tolerate her staff because I like Dr. Banks, but my last visit may change some things. I didn’t like being paraded around the office with my gown and no clothes on. I asked the nurse for another gown to cover my back but she retied it and said i would be fine. She then took me and another man who followed behind me to get X-​Rays on the other side of the office. I could feel the air on my back so i knew it was open and i didn’t like how uncomfortable i felt in that paper thin gown sitting inches away from the man waiting for X-​Rays. I thought that was highly inappropriate!
The office is somewhat clean but it appears to be an older office and décor is none. I know petty but just an FYI. This practice has alot of Dr’s as well so have your pick. Hope this helps out a little

This doctor came highly, highly recommended at a different review site that shall go unnamed. Unfortunately, Unilocal hasn’t the breadth of doctors and specialist reviews that some other sites have or else I probably would’ve had a more tempered expectation and/​or selected differently. I don’t consider myself a high maintenance client/​patient in the sense that I very rarely reach out for medical attention. I’m very healthy and only get screened yearly as recommended by the AMA. Therefore, choosing a doctor with a decent disposition and good follow up is important to me for the 15 minutes a year I spend with him/​her.
My first visit, last year, was pleasant enough, despite the intensely stressful atmosphere in the front office and in the practice itself [suffering through a nurse shortage]. We went over my entire medical history, had a physical exam and pap performed, and the few questions I had were satisfactorily addressed. I received a prompt call with routine test results a short while later and didn’t have another interaction with the practice again until this year.
While only there to receive my annual exam and pap, I had a very specific concerns about an ongoing prescription that I brought up early on in the visit. The visit was awkward and uncomfortable. I don’t know if Dr. Banks was having another bad day or what, but there was a palpable unease in the air. And I don’t like being uneasy where my vagina’s involved.
Her bedside manner was inexplicably salty. I sat there, feeling bad about stuff that really needn’t be brought up as one slips her feet into cold stirrups: the recession, my aging eggs, the big scary mammograms in my future. She scolded me about wearing sun block despite the fact I wear it every day of my life. I can’t help it if I’m not Norwegian. I tan with little provocation. I told her as much and she essentially shrugged it off.
My concerns about my prescription [which I did a lot of research on with the help of a regarded medical researcher] were more or less ignored. She changed my prescription, per my request, but not to what I requested. I tried what she gave me for two months — for the sake of not injuring ego — and the side effects were horrendous. I called in and left a message stating so [it’s very difficult to get a hold of anyone] and I eventually got a prescription for what I wanted. But I felt like I had to jump through hoops.
I know doctors get annoyed with all the self-​diagnosed hypochondriacs who spend their time on Web M. D but I’m not one of them. Despite how infrequently I go to the doctor, I am proactive in my care. I don’t like being treated or spoken to like a child. Also, I’m not much of a hoop-​jumper. As such, the search for a pcp/​gynecologist continues.
Why 3 stars instead of 2 or 1? While I think she’s not the right fit for me, Dr. Banks would suit some — perhaps the vast majority — of people just fine. If you implicitly trust your doctor or don’t have much cause for exploring alternatives to your current regimen, she’d work as well as any of the other of hundreds of other options.